Mozilla Releases Improved Firefox Web Browser for iPad [Video]

Mozilla has announced the release of an improved Firefox Web Browser for iPad.

We know that iPads aren’t just bigger versions of iPhones. You use them differently, you need them for different things. So rather than just make a bigger version of our browser for iOS, we made Firefox for iPad look and feel like it was custom made for a tablet. Mostly because it was.

Here are some of the highlights:● Split screenHaving to switch back and forth between apps (or context switching in fancy talk) can make productivity on the iPad, well, less productive than we’d like. To help with this, Firefox for iPad supports split screen. That’s right. Two apps, side-by-side making it easy for you to share links or take notes. Divide your screen between Slack and Firefox to stay on top of conversations or look at Google Maps while you plan your next road trip.

One of our favorite split screen tips is to use it with Firefox Lockbox for iPad. To save yourself a lot of time and typing use the drag and drop feature to get usernames and passwords from Lockbox into login forms.

● Tab ManagementThere are many of you out there who really love having a lot of tabs open. Be it on a desktop or a mobile version of a browser, tab management can get unwieldy. To help you have a better idea of what you’ve got open Firefox for iPad displays them like tiles, making it easy to see what they are, see if they spark joy and close with a tap if not.

● One easy click to get to Private BrowsingWhen you’re trying to get to a private page on an iOS device, you usually have to take a couple of steps to get there. Because the iPad has that big, beautiful screen we made Private Browsing Mode available with a single click. You can find it down in the lower left corner of the browser window. Just look for the purple private browsing icon.

● Outlook for iOS users get the default Firefox experienceFirefox fans have consistently asked for the ability to set Firefox as their default browser on iOS. That’s not something iOS presently lets us do. However, Microsoft Outlook for iOS does let you decide which browser you want to open your email links. Outlook users can now set Firefox as their default.

● Keyboard ShortcutsIf you use an external keyboard with your iPad hold down the command key to show keyboard shortcuts. Many of the shortcuts you’re used to using on your mac are here. Reload with Command + R, open a new private tab with Command + shift + P, find with Command + F and many more.

● Send TabsSend Tabs lets you instantly send tabs between devices without having to leave the browser. Get yourself a Firefox Account, sign into Firefox on your various devices and you can be sending tabs to your phone from your iPad, from your desktop to your phone, all without having to deal with cutting and pasting on a mobile device.

● Firefox for iOS featuresLastly, Firefox for iPad has all the Firefox for iOS features you know and love. A night mode to help with reading in low light, a dark theme for your display and Tracking Protection to keep third-party trackers from following you around the web (and eating up your data).

Now I don’t mind Firefox updates, as they offer useful features, but those of us who retain multiple windows don’t do it just ‘cause we’re too lazy to close them, but because we constantly switch between multiple sites consistently, so your ‘tabs’ just makes things MORE difficult for us.